The Food Lab by J Kenji Lopez-Alt has transcended beyond the cookbook realm to reach cult-like status among readers, and it is easy to see why once you dive into these pages. The full title of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science makes this hefty nine hundred pound tome sound technical and dull, but Lopez-Alt's work is far from textbook material. Full of humor, The Food Lab certainly teaches, but from page one the experience feels more like enlightenment.
The Food Lab by J Kenji Lopez-Alt has transcended beyond the cookbook realm to reach cult-like status among readers, and it is easy to see why once you dive into these pages. The full title of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science makes this hefty nine hundred pound tome sound technical and dull, but Lopez-Alt's work is far from textbook material. Full of humor, The Food Lab certainly teaches, but from page one the experience feels more like enlightenment.
Beyond Recipes
There are of course plenty of savory recipes inside, but what really makes this book stand above so many others is the detailed explanation of techniques and presentations. Like a well stocked pantry, the pages are filled with scrumptious photos to spice up the presentation. The tips and tricks are presented in such a way that a person brand new to the kitchen, or a seasoned veteran of meal preparation will find useful information.
The introduction gives a wealth of such instruction, but even more such material is sprinkled in throughout the recipes. Not just the how-to's, but also the why's, or as the title suggests, the very science behind these tried and true methods.
Mealtime
The body of the book is broke down by meal type. It is easy to draw comparisons between The Food Lab and The Joy of Cooking with Lopez-Alt giving us a more modern and Americanized spin. From breakfast on through to soups, vegetables, meats, pasta, and frying, Lopez-Alt lays everything out so that new cooks can feel confident to take on any meal and experienced home cooks will be engaged with new facts, techniques, and presentations as well.
Presentation is Everything
The photos within The Food Lab provide a visual oomph to Lopez-Alt's humorous voice throughout and the culinary world is one that evokes many of our senses. Taste and aroma go hand in hand with appearance so every book, blog, video, or show relies on visual arts to entice their audience. Here at Yumpic we are a freelance foodstylist that produces stunning and shareable photo-video content for food-related digital media companies and brands. Contact us today if you are in search of a freelance food photographer. Let us help you entice your audience with captivating food imagery.
